Education is Required, Learning is Optional
Responses:
My own responses
Ogre’s Politics & Views
Also, don’t forget to check the comments below.
Original Request:
I have another potential controversial topic for this weeks Christian Views Symposium. It’s on education. Here are my initial thoughts and questions.
Bill Lucy had a great quote at the Black State of The Union Conference. It was, “America is the largest nation where education is required and learning is optional”. This is the perfect description of Public Education in America today. This brings me to the 2005 National Governors Association (NGA) Winter Meeting. It included a National Education Summit on High Schools with a keynote address by Bill Gates.
Bill Gates rated our High Schools a “1.0 in a 5.0 world.” Here is an excerpt in which I totally agree with him. That does not happen too often by the way. Read the full article here.
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“Only a fraction of our kids are getting the best education,” Gates said. “Once we realize that we are keeping low-income and minority kids out of the rigorous courses, there can only be two arguments for keeping it that way: Either we think they can’t learn, or we think they’re not worth teaching.
“The first argument would be factually wrong. The second would be morally wrong.” |
Some of his ideas about teaching kids what they need to learn for life and to prepare them for college won’t go over well with the NEA I bet. I can see them saying it will lower test scores. By doing this, they will be saying we have low standards so the test scores are high. They will fight any standards because that would require them to be accountable for the results.
It is time we raised our standards for all education. It is time we hold our teachers, school administrations, and the NEA accountable. The games need to stop. We need school vouchers to promote competition in schools. We need to encourage all to become educated and find away of making illiteracy unacceptable.
I had a discussion today with my oldest daughter about education. I explained to her how important education was. I told here it was the gateway to becoming whatever she wanted to be in life. Without it she would live a hard life.
- What grade do you give our education system overall and locally in your area?
- Is holding the Education Establishment accountable with high standards wrong?
- Should we give educators as much money as they request?
- Is your school district cutting/threatening to cut programs if they don’t get funding increases? If, so is that appropriate?
- How do we get parents, students, teachers, and the government to show that being uneducated is unacceptable? How do you hold your children accountable now?
- Should vouchers be put into place? If so, how will they help/hinder the public school system?
- Should the Govenrment allow tax breaks for those parents that choose to homeschool?
- Should Christians promote homeschooling more strongly?
- How should Christians view tax increases for the school systems?
Rules reminder: No profanity, no name calling. This week’s will be tough, but no mentioning living politicians. This is to be a discussion on issues, not a discussion on what any single politician will do or not do. Email submissions to xbip at xbip dot com. I anxiously await your responses. They have been very good on the previous topics.
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1.What grade do you give our education system overall and locally in your area?
C- and C- overall below average.
2.Is holding the Education Establishment accountable with high standards wrong?
If you have your child in public school yes! Parents should be making a big stink and not feel apologetic about it because it’s their child!
3.Should we give educators as much money as they request?
No. They always ask for more then they need so they’ll have plenty to work with. Even if it means getting that new expensive desk for that school board member. (Sorry for the snotty comment) I would make the Board account for every penny, why they need that money. After they get it approved, make them account for how they spent it.
4.Is your school district cutting/threatening to cut programs if they don’t get funding increases? If, so is that appropriate?
Yes. Our school district has cut Music, Art, and PE. Oh I forgot… they send the children home around lunch time so they don’t have to feed them lunch. All this as a result (they say) because the referendum wasn’t passed to give them more money. Please don’t mention that they are one of the highest paid staffs in the state. Can you say… blackmail? Don’t get me wrong… I think that teachers deserve more money watch our children grow up. But I also think that they should be held accountable and that we should be able to take our money elsewhere if they aren’t doing their job. I Home School my children and I don’t see a dime of the money that we pay in taxes for public schools. Where in business America, can you fire someone and still pay them after you have either hire someone else (Private Schools) or said that I might as well do the job myself (Home School)?
5.How do we get parents, students, teachers, and the government to show that being uneducated is unacceptable? How do you hold your children accountable now?
It is unacceptable. Parents have to care. The ones who are trying to work with the system by getting things changed are labeled and dreaded by Teachers, Principles, and School Board members. They make it impossible to get something done. Other parents care but they don’t want to make it rough for their child. They fear that it will be taken out on their child for the parents having a problem with the teacher or school. So the parents give the teacher all kinds of gifts, volunteer for everything and try to be teacher’s pet… so they will get the A’s and given extra consideration. Sad, sad game.
6.Should vouchers be put into place? If so, how will they help/hinder the public school system?
Yes and it should extend to Home School too. They money goes where your child goes. It would help the schools because they would be competitive for your child. The schools would truly answer to the parents not the School Board.
7.Should the Government allow tax breaks for those parents that choose to home school?
Ummm…. Yes!
8.Should Christians promote homeschooling more strongly?
Not every school system is bad. Home Schooling is not for everyone. It’s difficult at times but it’s very rewarding for the parents and the children. You know… for some, they have come to a “no choice†situation. Their son or daughter isn’t thriving because or peers, grades, boredom, or it’s just a bad school. They are going on faith because they know that God has given them no choice. But God wouldn’t have put them there if they weren’t supposed to be there. So they trust and obey.
9.How should Christians view tax increases for the school systems?
I’m not sure why the distinction here about how Christians should view it… but I would follow the answer I gave to question 3 (minus the snotty comment)!
Apologies to anyone I might have offended in my answers. I know that not all public schools are bad, but it just happens to be my sore spot that festers when I talk about it.
Lisa
Comment by Lisa — 3/3/2005 @ 9:08 am
Christian Views Symposium
This week over at XBIP, Lennie has a new question in his weekly Christian Views Symposium. It’s a long series of questions, but he does want answers from both Christians and Non-Christians, so head on over to participate. This week:
Trackback by Ogre's Politics and Views — 3/3/2005 @ 3:27 pm